Get Organized Month: A Smarter Way to Prioritize What Really Matters

/0 Comments/in , , /by

January is National Get Organized Month. With this in mind, the month will include Smarter Ways to Organize. 

You are bombarded with decisions daily. Some tasks have deadlines, some do not. There is a barrage of decisions, and the velocity of life keeps you moving forward every minute of the day. Get Organized Month is the perfect opportunity to reassess how you prioritize tasks. Many people I work with feel overwhelmed because everything seems urgent. When all tasks are treated equally, prioritizing becomes exhausting and ineffective.

One of the simplest and most powerful organizing tools I have recently learned has helped me rethink prioritizing. Rather than defaulting to what seems urgent, these two questions to ask yourself.

How high are the stakes? And how reversible are the consequences? (By the way, Jeff Bezos uses these questions to prioritize.)

How High Are the Stakes?

Ask yourself, “What is the true cost if this does or doesn’t happen on time?”

High-stakes tasks often involve:

  • Health and safety

  • Finances and legal responsibilities

  • Work performance or reputation

  • Connections to people who matter at home and work

Examples of high-stakes tasks:

  • Paying taxes or bills by a deadline

  • Submitting a proposal tied to income, promotion, or expenses

  • Addressing a medical issue

  • Responding to a school issue affecting your child

Low-stakes tasks may feel pressing, but don’t have lasting consequences:

  • Decluttering a single drawer

  • Trying a new digital tool

  • Perfecting an organizing system

When the stakes are high, consider a pause before acting.

2. How Reversible Are the Consequences?

Next, consider whether the outcome can be undone or corrected. You may have your own set of rules you live by that feel highly consequential.

Low reversibility (hard to undo):

  • Signing a lease or contract

  • Sending a sensitive email or message

  • Making a major financial decision

  • Committing to a long-term obligation

High reversibility (easy to undo):

  • Rearranging your schedule

  • Testing a new routine

  • Moving items in your home

  • Drafting an email without sending it

When reversibility is low, it’s worth slowing down and planning carefully.

Putting It All Together: Real-Life Examples

Example 1: Work Priorities
You’re deciding between cleaning up your inbox or preparing for an important client meeting.

  • Client meeting: High stakes, low reversibility → Top priority

  • Inbox cleanup: Low stakes, high reversibility → Schedule later

Example 2: Home Organization
You want to reorganize your pantry, but you also haven’t set up automatic bill payments.

  • Bills: High stakes, low reversibility → Do first

  • Pantry project: Low stakes, high reversibility → Weekend project

Example 3: Family and Parenting Decisions
Your child needs a school form signed, and you’re debating whether to research new storage bins.

  • School paperwork: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Storage research: Low stakes, high reversibility

Example 4: Health and Self-Care
You’re choosing between scheduling a doctor’s appointment and rearranging your planner.

  • Medical appointment: High stakes, low reversibility

  • Planner setup: Low stakes, high reversibility

Apply these questions as you plan your day. If you are prioritizing but not acting on your plan, you may be productively procrastinating. Often this occurs because of an emotion is holding you back. If you find you need the energy to start a project, take a walk or get a sip of water rather than doom scroll on socials.

Where This Framework Applies

This prioritizing method works beautifully across many areas of life.  In every sector of your life, whether it is work or home, you can apply these new questions to help you know what to do first. Put this into place in your Weekly Planning Meeting agenda. After you consider your lists and your calendar, start asking yourself these questions for clarity. Tasks with high stakes and low reversibility deserve your best energy. Everything else can wait, shift, or be tested without pressure. Organize your priorities first and let the rest fall into place with greater ease and confidence.

My Top 3 Favorite Blog Posts of 2025 and Why They Matter

/0 Comments/in , /by

year end wrap up of organizing and productivity topics

As we move through 2025, I find myself looking back at the content and insights I’ve shared this year on the journey of decluttering, simplifying, and living intentionally. You, my friends, found these valuable, and these became the top-ranked blogs because of their practicality and ability to spark real change at home.

⭐ 25 Small but Mighty Strategies to Organize Your Paperwork (August 7, 2025)

If there’s one thing almost every household underestimates, it’s paper clutter. Bills, receipts, kids’ school forms, mail, and warranties overflow from our mail to our countertops. This post offers 25 easy-to-use strategies to be proactive about conquering this clutter.

  • I break paperwork into three simple categories (Active, To File, and Archive) so the system works, even when life is chaotic.

  • The post outlines small habits (like a “Sunday Reset” or a family command center) to keep things manageable.

Why this tops the list: for so many families with busy schedules, paperwork isn’t just a nuisance.  It’s a stressor. This post helps give you back control, so paper stops ruling your life and your space.

🏡  25 Simple Ways to Keep Your Home Organized Every Day (February 6, 2025)

This post says what I believe are the most important routines for everyone. Staying organized shouldn’t be a one-and-done project. It should be woven into the rhythm of everyday life.

  • The tips are simple, doable, and baby-step friendly. Begin with one drawer, one shelf, or a small corner. That momentum helps build toward bigger organizing wins.

  • Practical advice like using clear bins, labeling, designating a “home” for everything, and tackling paper clutter slowly makes organizing feel accessible.

Why this is a top post: because for families trying to stay afloat, this post offers a practical, doable structure rather than a massive overhaul.

🧠 Let Them: The Organizing Mindset Shift That Changes Everything (June 12, 2025)

Organizing is never just about stuff. Organizing is about people, relationships, and energy. This post explores a mindset shift that’s critical, especially in family homes or shared spaces where not everyone shares the same vision of order.

  • The main idea is that sometimes change sticks only when you stop trying to control others and instead focus on what you can control: your space, your habits, your boundaries.

  • Embracing boundaries is important; however, it is important to give family members or housemates space to find their own rhythm, while protecting your own peace and order.

Why this matters deeply: for many people, organizing is more than logical; it is emotional. This post invites grace, patience, and self-care.

What These Posts Reveal About Approaching Organizing in Your Home, Work, and Life

Looking at these three blog posts together, you’ll see a pattern. I believe that you can make a difference every day with your organizing and productivity. These three concepts are what make your organizing practical and easy to accomplish.

  • Create systems that align with how you think.

  • Follow habits and routines as the structure of your everyday life.

  • You need a mix of tools and strategies that make your organizing and productivity easy.

Give these blog posts another read this year and see how you can start 2026 with a fresh perspective.

 

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday (With Holiday Self Care)

/6 Comments/in , , /by

 

 

 

have a holly jolly holiday with self care

 

The holiday season is filled to the brim with activities and time together.  There’s lots of excitement, not to mention lots of organizing and things to do. Your planning often is about taking care of others and insuring everyone’s happiness. This year we need to practice packing some extra self care with our holiday bags. Check out these ideas to add self care to your holiday planning.

 

Schedule time for self care

It is easy to think, with so much extra to do, when do I have time for self care? Self care is more important during busy times because it is the fuel that keeps you going.  Create self care routines at the same time daily. These priorities can be at the beginning of the day to give you a strong start to each day or at the end of the day to ensure your rest.

 

Keep your gratitude practice going strong

Appreciating the blessings in your life remind us of all that is good and positive.  Whether it is writing a text to a friend, writing in your journal or a note to yourself, keep your practice intact during the holiday season.

 

Acknowledge emotions

During the holidays we experience a range of emotions.  Whether happy, sad, overwhelmed or frenzied, it is good to  name emotions. We can acknowledge what we are experiencing and process this. Give yourself time to pause. Check in with your feelings, acknowledge and sort through the reasons behind these. Manage your expectations and keep these in line with what you can physically and emotionally manage.

 

Keep a list of self care options

When we start down a negative path, we want to have options to make a change. Make your own list of relaxation activities. This can include taking a walk to see holiday lights, sitting down with a hot cup of cocoa, putting on fuzzy slippers for the rest of the day, or any number of soothing activities.

 

Well being first

We all know that our physical wellbeing is critical.  Be sure you keep your health routines like sleep and diet as much as you can. While there are times for a late night and special treats, keeping to your regular bedtime and meals with protein give you the energy and emotional stability you need.

 

It will be a holly jolly holiday in all ways when you take time for your self care.

 

 

 

When Thanksgiving Comes Late: ADHD-Friendly Strategies to Get Ahead for the Holidays

/4 Comments/in , /by

If you live with ADHD, the holiday season can feel like a juggling act of deadlines, decisions, and details that all seem to happen all at once and all of the same importance.

This year Thanksgiving lands late in November, adding in extra details and decisions and taking away time. Now there are fewer weeks and less time. It is easy to feel behind before the season even begins.

The good news is that with a few ADHD-friendly strategies, you can reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and enjoy the holidays even with fewer weeks on the calendar.

Create a visual tool to help you track tasks and time.

When Thanksgiving is later in the month, time feels like a blur between the holidays. Urgency can turn to paralysis.

  • Use a visual calendar to map out the next six weeks. Color-code tasks like shopping, decorating, travel, and rest.

  • Work backwards and write in time blocks for key events and deadlines. These are the critical priorities for the season such as purchasing, mailing, wrapping and delivery.

  • Set reminders with transition times built into the process. Multiple alarms beat one last-minute reminders.

Break projects into actionable micro tasks.

Big projects like getting ready for the holidays are overwhelming. Instead, write out clear, specific micro tasks that can be completed with as little decision making as possible.

  • Instead of “decorate,” try “find the box of ornaments.”

  • Instead of “shop for everyone,” try “order one gift online.

Create a flexible plan and expect changes. 

Managing expectations means creating a plan but keeping it flexible. Having a plan gives you scaffolding, managing it with flexibility keeps it on track.

Think of your plan as a flexible framework:

  • Keep a master to-do list and highlight only three priorities per day.

  • Use sticky notes or a digital board so you can easily move tasks around.

  • Celebrate progress, not perfection.

Work with your energy.

Extra activity can be energizing and draining. Work with your energy to preserve your self-care. Both introverts and extroverts benefit from using their energy wisely during the holidays.

  • Set up boundaries for task completion and make it known that done is perfect.

  • Schedule “no-peopling” days before and after major events.

  • Say “no” (kindly!) to commitments that don’t light you up.

  • Build in recovery time after social or family gatherings.

  • Set up bedtime routines as sacred.

Keep it simple especially at Thanksgiving.

A late Thanksgiving might mean skipping or reimagining some Thanksgiving and holiday traditions. Find ways to get help with a team of elves, semi-homemade foods, or enlisting your family. Get creative about what each holiday preparations are and imagine how to accomplish these easily. Be sure you have moments during the holidays season that bring you personal joy.

A late Thanksgiving can be a reminder about what is most important about this season of gratitude. Pause, plan, and create systems that support you and how your brain works best. Start small, start today, and make space for what really matters this season.

What People Say When They are Working with a Certified Professional Organizer

/4 Comments/in , /by

CPO

Many people start with good intentions but quickly feel overwhelmed when it comes to getting organized. That’s where a Certified Professional Organizer® (CPO®) makes all the difference. Working alongside a trained and credentialed professional can give you the structure, accountability, and expertise needed to create lasting change. Here’s what clients often share with me about the value of working with a CPO.

“Writing out a less complicated plan helped me get started.”

When plans are overcomplicated, it is hard to get started or continue the project. You have a vision, but it lacks clarity. With a CPO, you can write out the organizing process to make sure it is accomplished in the most efficient way.

“Writing down my baby steps.”

The struggle happens when you have to remember all the details. Together, writing down the details makes your plan manageable. That might be a color-coded chart created together or a list your CPO writes and texts to you. Along the way, you are devising a manageable plan with real baby steps.

“Keeping me on track.”

You set a deadline, but it can be a long way off. Accountability is one of the most frequently requested parts of the organizing process. Staying focused on a project is often the hardest part. A CPO brings “loving” accountability and helps you maintain momentum, even when the process feels daunting. With someone encouraging you and being alongside you step by step, you’re less likely to get stuck or lose sight of your goals.

“Helping execute my plan.”

Many people know what they want their home, office, or schedule to look like, but don’t know how to get there. Getting started on your plan may be the hardest part. A CPO helps translate your vision into an actionable plan and works beside you to carry it out. Instead of facing endless tasks alone, you have a partner who helps break those tasks into small, manageable steps. Planning is a great asset, and so is execution.

“Giving me permission to declutter my stuff.”

Sorting through belongings can feel emotional and overwhelming. Those items may really be a burden while also feeling like a responsibility.  A CPO brings a fresh perspective, guiding you through decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard. With CPO support, you’ll create space and clarity in your environment.

“Changing my environment to be more productive.”

Your surroundings have a huge impact on your focus and energy. A streamlined environment is where productivity starts. A CPO helps you design systems and spaces that support productivity, whether that’s setting up a streamlined home office, reorganizing your kitchen, or creating routines for daily life. The result? A space that works for you to enhance and empower your productivity.

“I could not do this without you.”

If you could, you would! There are so many ways a CPO makes a difference. You have the plan, and a CPO arriving makes stuff happen. Your trust in your CPO creates a powerful partnership. A CPO can also act as a body double, giving you the energy and focus to complete your goals. I love making a difference in time and space in my clients’ homes and lives.

Working with a Certified Professional Organizer® is more than just tidying up.  It’s about building systems, habits, and environments that support the life you want. With expertise built on a strong foundation of education, you’ll feel empowered, supported, and set up for success.

25 Things You Should Know About Executive Function

/4 Comments/in /by

adhd awareness month

 

In Honor of ADHD Awareness Month

Have you struggled with letting go of clutter, all the decisions, and the steps needed? Or stared at a long to-do list and felt so overwhelmed that it was difficult to prioritize? Maybe it is difficult getting started on your laundry, paperwork, or work projects?

These everyday challenges are connected to executive function. Executive function skills are the brain’s coordination and management system. These are the cognitive skills that help you plan, organize, focus, regulate, and accomplish. Executive function is often the biggest challenge for people with ADHD.

Here are 25 things you should know about executive function, grouped by the 5 major areas it affects for organization and productivity.

Organization

Executive function helps you keep spaces orderly, track belongings, and let go of items that no longer serve you.

  • Difficulty with organization can lead to clutter, misplaced items, and missed deadlines.

  • Visual systems work best in supporting organizational skills.

  • Digital tools (calendars, reminders, apps) are especially helpful for managing complex schedules.

  • Organization improves when you break tasks into smaller, manageable parts.

👉 System Tip: Create a Command Center (a consistent spot for keys, bags, papers, or digital files) so items don’t get lost and routines stay on track.

Planning & Prioritizing

Executive function allows you to set goals and establish clear steps to reach them. It also helps you decide what order to do tasks in a project and manage multiple steps.

  • Struggles with planning often look like procrastination, but often stem from unclear next steps and unaddressed emotions.

  • Prioritizing means choosing from your master list the sequence of what to do.

  • Using planners, checklists, or project outlines builds stronger planning habits.

  • Planning backwards with the end goal and using time blocks in sequence helps reach your goal.

👉 System Tip: Use Weekly Planning Time (like Sunday evening planning) with a calendar and task list to decide your top three priorities for the week.

Working Memory

Working memory is the ability to hold information in your head while using it.

  • It helps with following multi-step directions, solving problems, and recalling details.

  • Limited working memory capacity can make instructions, conversations, or lectures feel overwhelming.

  • Writing tasks down frees up cognitive load and makes it easier to start tasks.

  • Strategies like repeating information aloud or chunking it into smaller parts boost recall.

👉 System Tip: Set up a capture system (like a notebook, notes app, or voice recorder) to quickly store thoughts and instructions before they slip away.

Task Initiation

Executive function helps with initiation, which is starting a task.

  • Trouble with initiation frustrates people and often requires a specific strategy.

  • Breaking down the very first step makes starting easier.

  • Body doubling, which is working alongside someone else, can smooth out initiation.

  • A clear routine or cue (like setting a timer) creates momentum to begin.

👉 System Tip: Use a “warm up” like the Pomodoro method (25 minutes work, 5 minutes break) to create a workflow.

Emotional Regulation

Executive function plays a role in managing fear, stress, frustration, and disappointment.

  • Difficulty regulating emotions can lead to impulsive reactions or procrastination.

  • Meditation and mindfulness practices strengthen awareness of emotions before they escalate.

  • Pausing creates space for better decision-making.

  • Naming your feelings (“I’m overwhelmed,” “I’m frustrated”) reduces their intensity and builds control.

👉 System Tip: Build an “emotional reset system” with tools like sensory awareness, a short walk, or a quick grounding exercise you can use when emotions run high.

Executive function skills are boosted by working with a certified professional organizer or coach. These skills can be supported and strengthened with the right strategies, tools, and guidance. Choose one area to start and focus on ways to strengthen your skills.

How to Tackle Time-Consuming Tasks (that You Thought Would be Easy to do)

/4 Comments/in , , /by

how to tackle time consuming tasks

 

All tasks are not equal. There are tasks you guess should take just a few minutes, and then an hour later, you are just finishing. There are tasks that are actually projects that as you work on them have multiple steps that keep multiplying. Rarely is there a just five-minute task anymore. Lately, everyone has been commenting on how complicated it seems to be to get stuff done. Whether it’s getting help around the house, working on your email, completing an online form, or clearing out your closet, some tasks take longer than you expected.

You may long for simpler times with easier-to-complete tasks. However, with a few strategies, you may feel you are gaining efficiency and making tasks more manageable. The big secret to task management is breaking tasks down into manageable chunks and allocating time to each segment.

 

Be specific about the task

Is it a task or a project? A task is a single step, while a project is multiple steps. Knowing this, you are ready to begin. Add the task to your list with a specific action. Using action words also helps you know where to start.

  • Instead of “Do taxes”, write gather documents for taxes, prepare income section, prepare charity section, or contact a tax preparer.
  • Instead of “Hire lawn person”, write gather potential names, ask neighbors, contact lawn people for estimates, and finalize the decision.
  • Instead of “complete TSA form”, write go to website, gather documents, make appointment, and so on.

 

Break tasks into microtasks

Breaking down your tasks into microtasks gives you the opportunity to make progress in baby steps. You can batch by time with a 15-minute microtask list. You can batch by category, like all phone calls. Or you can write out the microsteps and keep that as a list with the project itself.

Instead of “Complete expense report,” break it into:

  • Get the form for the report
  • Gather supporting data from credit cards
  • Categorize by meals, accommodations, and travel
  • Add information to the report
  • Create pdf
  • Upload information
  • Hit send to the correct person

Each microtask should be something you can complete in 15–30 minutes. Celebrate each step along the way because you are making progress!

 

Use the “Next Action” Trick

If you are unsure where to start on a project, think of the next action. By asking yourself what the very next thing is, you can move a task forward bit by bit. As you build momentum, you will gain clarity. One of the best first actions is to organize the materials needed, get the form itself, or follow a checklist that may be provided. There are often instructions provided for where to start. If you are not sure of the next action, narrow the options to no more than 2 or 3. If you have too many options, you stall out because of making a decision about the next option. Gather crowd-sourced information if you struggle with making that next action decision.

 

Schedule your task time

Have you heard the phrase “a plan is a wish without a calendar?” Large, overwhelming, scary, or vague tasks sitting on your to-do list are easy to ignore. Instead, schedule time on your calendar to do the microtasks you created. Try blocking out 25-minute chunks using the Pomodoro Technique (work for 25 minutes, break for 5, for a series of three 25-minute sessions). This works especially well for deep thinking or tedious tasks. Begin to know your pattern for how long you can work. Some people are hyperfocused and can work for lengthy time periods. Other people know that they have a short attention span or frustration span.  Learning this helps you allocate sufficient time.

 

Batch similar tasks

Some unrelated tasks often have similar activities. That might be setting dates, writing emails, or making phone calls. Group related microtasks together to reduce mental switching. This batching keeps your brain in one mode longer, which saves energy and increases focus. You are more efficient in batching and feel more successful too.

 

Use a digital progress tracker or checklist

Seeing progress is motivating. A series of unending tasks holds us back. Use a checklist or a tool like Click Up, Notion, or even a sticky note to track completed microtasks. The satisfaction of checking things off gives you momentum—and makes the task feel far less intimidating. Make your tracker and checklist easy to see every day. You will notice the impression this makes on your energy level and confidence.

 

Allow for flexing as needed

Time-consuming tasks often expand beyond your estimate. Build buffer time into your schedule so you’re not thrown off when that 15-minute task actually takes 40. This keeps you from feeling frustrated. In addition, build in a transition time between the task and the next activity. This way you avoid being irritable about switching between tasks, projects, and activities. That transition time applies to getting ready for the day.

 

It is not easy to estimate how long it will take for a task or project. By using new strategies, you will become more comfortable with the time it takes to accomplish your to-do list. Good luck!

 

25 Ways to Get Ready for the Holiday Season

/4 Comments/in , /by

The beginning of October ushers in the holiday season.  The joy of the season is amplified by preparation.  Many extra tasks and projects can be a mix of joy and stress. With intention, planning, and organization, you can create a holiday season that’s meaningful, enjoyable, and even relaxing. Here are 25 ways to get ready for the holidays so you can spend less time worrying and more time celebrating.

Home & Décor

  • Declutter before decorating .  It is time to refresh you space before you start to decorate. Clear out old or unused items so your home feels fresh and ready for seasonal décor. Let go of decor you have not used in several years.
  • Check your holiday decorations. Inventory what you have so you know what you need. Test lights, organize ornaments, and repair or replace anything broken.
  • Think through your decorating plan.  Each year brings a new approach to your decorating. Update your plan and decide which areas of your home you’ll decorate. Remember to keep it simple if you have less time and energy.
  • Set up a wrapping station. Make it easy and fun to do the required tasks. A wrapping station consolidates all your tools and materials. Keep tape, scissors, tags, and wrapping paper in one place.
  • Gather a team for cleaning and decorating. Remember that a team effort will help you enjoy the time together and be efficient.

Food & Entertaining

  • Plan your holiday treats and meals with simplicity.  It’s easiest to focus on your family recipes if you have help with semi-homemade extras. Write menus and grocery lists now to avoid last-minute stress. Use curb side delivery for easy shopping.
  • Stock your pantry with essentials. Know your stock and keep it fresh. Pull out recipes early to stock what is needed.
  • Prep freezer-friendly dishes. Your menu can include easy-to-prepare recipes that can be duplicated to save time. Soups, casseroles, and cookie dough freeze well and save time later.
  • Plan ahead for homemade gifts. Write out your holiday treat giving on your calendar to plan for time to purchase, bake, and deliver your treat.
  • Check serving dishes and cookware. Make sure you have enough platters, roasting pans, and storage containers.

Gifts & Shopping Lists

  • Create a gift list that follows your budget.  Write down recipients and brainstorm gift ideas in advance. Think about family games and puzzles as gifts that bring people together.
  • Set a holiday budget. Especially this year, finances are tight. Decide what you’ll spend on gifts, food, travel, and events to avoid overspending. Track your expenses on an app or spreadsheet to keep up with a tally.
  • Shop your gift closet. It is time to use all those gifts you picked up all year.
  • Order online early and track your items. Many times deliveries happen without boxes being opened. Shop, inventory, and then wrap throughout the season.
  • The joy of the season is in wrapping and delivering. Wrap gifts as you buy them instead of waiting until the night before and set a date on your calendar to deliver.

Family & Traditions

  • Host a family meeting to set dates. Block off dates for school concerts, family gatherings, and community events.
  • At your family meeting, prioritize traditions. Have everyone share what is their favorite holiday event. Decide which rituals matter most to your family and let go of extras that cause stress.
  • Schedule time to reflect and reset. Protect family evenings for rest, games, or movies together.
  • Prepare for holiday traditions with shopping lists. Use curbside delivery for help.
  • Don’t forget family fun that brings everyone togther.  Holiday outdoor light scavenger hunts, baking breads and cookies, and volunteering together are ways to spend time together.

 

Self-Care & Peace of Mind

  • Plan your attire for the holidays. Make this easy by assembling your holiday attire together in your closet.
  • Keep gift cards ready. Having extra cards available and low amount gift cards makes gift giving easier.
  • Get to the airport early and have your playlist ready. Arriving early makes parking and getting through the check in process less stressful.
  • Bring your holiday intentions to life by setting happy boundaries. Reflect on what is meaningful to you and follow your intentions with a polite no. Overcommitment leads to frustration and aggitation.
  • Focus on gratitude. Writing in a holiday journal, you can share what you’re thankful for.  Many families have a gratitude jar for the holiday season.

The holiday season doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. With a little preparation and lots of intention, you can enjoy more of what truly matters most. By prioritizing time with family and friends, meaningful traditions, and the season’s spirit, you have the most joyful of holidays. Pick a few of these 25 strategies to start today, and you’ll be ready to celebrate with less stress and more joy.

ADHD and Transition Time: Why Starting and Finishing Can Feel So Hard (and How to Make It Easier)

/4 Comments/in , /by

 

adhd and transition time

If you live with ADHD, you already know that the hardest parts of a task often aren’t the task itself. The real challenges can come with getting started, stopping when it’s time, or shifting from one thing to another. These challenges are initiation (starting), completion (finishing), and transition time (switching gears). These can take extra energy and feel overwhelming at times. While others may move smoothly from one step to the next, for those with ADHD, it can feel like slamming on the brakes or trying to start a car that just won’t turn over. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and there are ways to make these transitions easier and gentler on your mind and energy.

 

Why Transitioning Is Hard with ADHD

People with ADHD struggle with executive function, which is your brain’s system for planning, initiating, organizing, and following through. It can feel overwhelming to start even the smallest of projects because of multiple steps. Ending a task because of hyperfocus can feel impossible. You can feel resistance to switching between tasks and activities. The ADHD brain processes time, urgency, and priorities differently.

 

Strategies for initiation

Make starting a task or project easier with these cues.

  • Expect to use an initiation strategy for your hardest tasks and projects. Resistance with emotional regulation, such as feelings of fear or being overwhelmed, prevents you from beginning.
  • Use external signals to help you get started. Use a timer to begin any task. Once you start, most likely you will continue on that task.
  • Set a transition alarm and a starting alarm. That way you can finish up and prepare for the next action.
  • Curate music playlists as a cue to start your efforts. You can set up playlists for a variety of tasks such as organizing, cleaning, and working.
  • Start with the ridiculously easy. Lower the barrier to entry with micro-tasks. That can be “Put on Sneakers” instead of “Go for a Run.” Or it can be “Open laptop” instead of “write essay.”
  • Know the “why” behind the task. Getting the big picture can help you buy in to the task more fully.

 

Strategies for completion

Wrap up your work more easily.

  • Don’t expect your brain to wrap up. Cue your completion.
  • Start with external cues. Try alarms or calendar alerts. Place reminders where you’ll see or hear them so they can gently pull you out of your hyperfocus.
  • Instead of aiming to “work until it feels done,” define what that endpoint is. That could mean sending the email draft, uploading the file, or cleaning off your desk. A clear, concrete endpoint makes it easier to stop without feeling like you’re leaving things undone.
  • Tell someone when you plan to be finished, whether it’s a colleague, friend, or family member. Even a quick check-in text like, “I’m wrapping up by 5:30 today,” can provide the external nudge to actually stop and close out your work.
  • Create a wrap-up routine to finish your work. Write a note to yourself to share where you are finishing and the next steps.
  • Be mindful of your level of perfectionism. Most likely, it is more important to complete the task or project with 90% perfection. There is a saying, “Done is perfect.”

 

Build in Transition Time

Don’t expect your brain to shift instantly.

  • Create written buffer zones in your calendar for meetings that go longer, have heavier travel traffic, and require time to get out of the house.
  • Work backwards to create a workflow for a transition. Start with the finish line and work backwards, adding in all the steps to accomplish that task. Include all the transitions between steps.
  • Plan a pause. That can be 5 minutes of stretching, a short walk, or straightening your desk.
  • A transition routine like closing tabs, writing a to-do list, or changing environments

 

Getting started and wrapping up are two of the most common sticking points for people with ADHD. By breaking tasks into smaller steps, adding external cues, and building simple routines around starting and finishing, you can create smoother beginnings and clearer endings. Progress is about finding strategies that work for your brain and giving yourself credit for every step forward.

25 Easy Ways to Recycle More in Your Everyday Life

/3 Comments/in , /by

Recycling is one of many ways we can make a difference every day for future generations. As fast as paper, plastic, and cardboard come in, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the amount of recycling in your home or at work. Recycling can be easier with a little planning and a good routine. You can keep more out of the landfill while keeping your home tidy and eco-friendly. Here are 25 easy ways to recycle in your daily life.

Recycling Systems and Routines Made Simple

  • There are a series of steps in recycling paper, plastic, cardboard, and metal. Make your recycling simple by breaking the steps into chunks that are manageable in your home. Create the process for yourself depending on how you work best.
  • Your recycled items should be clean before recycling. It is best to wash your recycling daily, and if possible, have a place for it to dry.
  • Set up a recycling station by using bins or baskets. You might choose a station in your kitchen or laundry room for gathering your recycling, then move it to the garage where you have a large recycling bin that goes to the curb.
  • Separating recycling depends on where you recycle. If you have single-stream recycling, no need to separate. If you do need to separate, know which items can be kept together. Use a separate bin for each. Make it easy to drop items in a container in your home and then to an additional area in your garage. Choose what you recycle depending on how easy it is to group the items.
  • Recycle cardboard by breaking down boxes. If you break down the boxes, you save room in recycling containers. You can nest the boxes together, too.
  • Reuse glass jars and containers as storage. These make great containers for leftovers and making salad dressing.
  • Recycle aluminum foil and trays by rinsing and then crumbling them up to save space.
  • Plastic bags can be recycled at local grocery stores. Take these with you when you grocery shop.
  • If you have curbside recycling, place your container at the curb early each day. Set an alarm to remind you early.
  • If you have community recycling, make it a routine to drop off each weekend that recycling is available.

 

Easy ways to recycle items in your home

  • Use cloth napkins instead of paper. This might add to your laundry once a week, but this cuts down on waste.
  • Donate gently used clothes rather than trashing them. Local charities and shelters always welcome clothing.
  • Pass along books and magazines by dropping them off at local waiting rooms. You can also share with friends or Little Free Libraries.
  • Many dry cleaners take back plastic or wire hangers. Gather these and drop off when you drop off dry cleaning.
  • You can repurpose towels and sheets by donating them to local animal shelters, where they are used for clean-up and bedding.

Be mindful of Electronics

  • The City of Houston and many large cities host electronics recycling events. Look on social media for these upcoming events to drop off your items. Be sure your devices are digitally cleaned up without your information on them.
  • Retailers like Apple, Best Buy, or your carrier often accept electronic trade-ins. Each time you upgrade, let go of your used items.
  • You can also sell your older devices online at spots like Swappa, Gazelle, or ItsWorthMore.
  • Recycle used printer cartridges by bringing them to office supply stores, where you can get a credit for purchases when you bring them back.
  • Routinely review the cords and chargers in your home. Set up a travel charger system to carry with you when you travel and donate the extra cords. Not surprisingly, these sell well at thrift stores.

On the Go Recycling

  • Bring a reusable water bottle to keep hydrated. This cuts down on single-use plastic bottles and, therefore, plastic recycling.
  • Double up your cooking portions to make your lunch. Bringing lunch saves money and styrofoam.
  • Bring your reusable bags when you grocery shop. Leave these in the car to have them handy. Keep an insulated tote in your car too.
  • Empty your car of recycling items each evening when you return home. Your car stays tidy, and you have contributed to saving the planet.
  • It may take a little driving but it is well worth it. Properly dispose of paint and chemicals by checking local and city-wide ordinances on recycling. Check your city for hazardous waste collection days.

Recycling doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose one simple solution to make it easy to do. With a few simple habits, you’ll reduce clutter and protect the environment. If you get behind in your recycling, find a recycling center for the largest items and make a trip there on the weekend. You are making a difference in creating recycling systems and routines that work with your busy lifestyle.